Amid the tragedy caused by the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on the morning of August 10, an emotional moment in Cali has become a symbol of hope.
Rescue teams managed to pull a six-month-old baby alive from the rubble of a collapsed building, who had been trapped with her mother.
Debajo de los escombros hay esperanza de vida
Una mujer y su bebé de seis meses de nacido fueron rescatados en Cali después de quedar de medio de los escombros tras el terremo de 7.4 grados.
El rescate lo hicieron voluntarios que ayudaron al escuchar voces de auxilio de la… pic.twitter.com/UFrkL76nnC
— ZonaCero (@zonacero) August 10, 2026
Rescuers were in the midst of an intensive search when they heard signs of life beneath the rubble. After intervening, they managed to pull out the baby and her mother, bringing a moment of joy amid scenes of devastation caused by the earthquake.
Images of the rescue have spread rapidly on social media and have been received with emotion by citizens, while emergency teams continue to search for other people who may have remained trapped.
🇨🇴Tragedy at the University Hospital in Cali, Colombia, during yesterday morning's devastating earthquake. Few doctors managed to escape before the hospital collapsed, with the other doctors and patients trapped under the rubble. pic.twitter.com/umr2VAbRSX pic.twitter.com/h7YbLFkEz0
— Real News (@DrNeculai) August 11, 2026
Meanwhile, the situation remains dramatic in Cali, where part of the Hospital Universitario del Valle has been severely damaged. According to authorities, about 30% of the hospital's structure was affected by the earthquake, including three floors where Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and part of the neonatal unit were located.
At least four people have been pulled from the rubble, while several patients have been evacuated and transferred to other health facilities. Around 600 people have been forced to leave the hospital and patients have been temporarily treated outside.
Footage from the scene shows doctors, nurses and emergency teams continuing to care for patients outside the damaged building. Amid the chaos, nurses were forced to care for newborns on the street, as the pediatric area was among the hardest-hit parts of the hospital.
